Car crashes through Groton restaurant storefront

Groton – A car crashed through the front of a Lebanese restaurant on Long Hill Road this afternoon, shattering the front glass window and a taking with it a portion of the wall, fire officials said.

No one inside Beirut’s Food Palace at the Groton Shopping Plaza was injured in the 1:44 p.m. accident, but Poquonnock Bridge Fire Chief Todd Paige said the female driver of the vehicle was taken by ambulance for evaluation at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London. Her injuries did not appear to be significant, he said.

Paige said firefighters arrived to find the car completely inside the building where it had narrowly missed an employee who had dodged the car as it came inside. Because of concern about leaking fuel, Paige said electricity was turned off and the kitchen shut down while hoses stood ready.

A building official has determined there was no significant structural damage to the building, Paige said.

Police said further information about the accident was not yet available.